Heat activated ink jet ink
View Patent ↗A method of printing a liquid ink which is produced from a heat activated dye which is selected from a limited group of dyes which are capable of transfer at low energy. A printer which uses liquid ink, such as an ink jet printer, prints an image onto an intermediate substrate medium. The dyes contained in the ink are not substantially activated during the process of printing on to the medium. The image formed by the printed ink is transferred from the medium to a final substrate by the application of heat and pressure for a short period of time to activate the ink. The dye and dispersing/emulsifying agent(s) are selected from a limited group to produce an ink which permits thermal transfer at low energy, with the resulting image, as deposited on the final substrate, having an optical density of 1.0 or greater. Liquid ink is produced using heat activated dyes selected from a limited group of dyes that are capable of heat activation. The dyes are not substantially soluble in the liquid carrier, such as water. One or more emulsifying agents stabilize the ink formulation. A printer that uses liquid ink, such as an ink jet printer, is used to print the ink, and the dye is heat activated after printing.
1. A liquid ink for use in ink jet printers prepared from heat activated dye solids, comprising:
Material
Weight %
heat sensitive dye solid
0.05-20%
dispersant/emulsifying agent
0.05-30%
solvent
0-45%
water
40-98%
Total
100%
wherein the heat sensitive dye solid is not substantially insoluble in the water.
2. A liquid ink for use in ink jet printers prepared from heat activated dye solids, as described in claim 1 , further comprising 0 . 01 % to 15 % surfactant.
3. A liquid ink for use in ink jet printers prepared from heat activated dye solids, as described in claim 1 , wherein said dispersant/emulsifying agent is a sulfonated lignin.
4. A liquid ink for use in ink jet printers prepared from heat activated dye solids, as described in claim 2 , wherein said dispersant/emulsifying agent is a sulfonated lignin.
5. A liquid ink for use in ink jet printers prepared from heat activated dye solids, as described in claim 1 , wherein said heat activated dye is a dye which, after the liquid ink is printed, transfers by the application of heat at a temperature which is not higher than 450 ° F. for no more than three and one-half minutes, with the resulting image, as deposited on the final substrate having an optical density of 1 . 0 or greater, as measured by an X-Rite 418 densitometer in the density operation mode with background corrections.
6. A liquid ink for use in ink jet printers prepared from heat activated dye solids as described in claim 5 , further comprising 0 . 01 % to 15 % surfactant.
7. A liquid ink for use in ink jet printers prepared from heat activated dye solids as described in claim 5 , wherein said dispersant/emulsifying agent is a sulfonated lignin.
8. A liquid ink for use in ink jet printers prepared from heat activated dye solids as described in claim 6 , wherein said dispersant/emulsifying agent is a sulfonated lignin.
9. A liquid ink for use in ink jet printers prepared from heat activated dye solids as described in claim 1 , further comprising 0 . 01 % to 45 % solvent.
10. A liquid ink for use in ink jet printers prepared from heat activated dye solids as described in claim 5 , further comprising 0 . 01 % to 45 % solvent.
11. A liquid ink for use in ink jet printers prepared from heat activated dye solids as described in claim 6 , further comprising 0 . 01 % to 45 % solvent.
12. A liquid ink for use in ink jet printers prepared from heat activated dye solids as described in claim 7 , further comprising 0 . 01 % to 45 % solvent.
13. A liquid ink jet ink, comprising:
Material
Weight %
heat activated dye solids
0.05-20%
at least one dispersant and emulsifying agent
0.05-30%
solvent
0-45%
water
40-98%
Total
100%
wherein said heat activated dye solids are substantially insoluble in said water, and wherein said at least one dispersant and emulsifying agent inhibits agglomeration of individual particles of said heat activated dye solids within the liquid ink to limit a particle size of said individual particles of said heat activated dye solids within the liquid ink and sustain stability of the liquid ink, wherein said at least one dispersant and emulsifying agent does not materially increase an activation temperature of said heat activated dye solids.
14. A liquid ink jet ink as described in claim 13 , further comprising 0 . 01 % to 15 % surfactant.
15. A liquid ink jet ink as described in claim 13 , wherein said at least one dispersant and emulsifying agent is a sulfonated lignin.
16. A liquid ink jet ink as described in claim 13 , wherein said heat activated dye is a dye which, after the liquid ink is printed, transfers by the application of heat at a temperature which is not higher than 450 ° F., for no more than three and one-half minutes, with the resulting image, as deposited on the final substrate, having an optical density of 1 . 0 or greater, as measured by an X-Rite 418 densitometer in the density operation mode with background corrections.
17. A liquid ink jet ink as described in claim 13 , wherein said heat activated dye solids are finely divided.
18. A liquid ink jet ink as described in claim 13 , wherein individual particles of said heat activated dye solids are 0 . 5 microns or less in size.
19. A liquid ink jet ink as described in claim 13 , wherein said at least one dispersant and emulsifying agent comprises at least one dispersant and at least one emulsifying agent, and wherein said at least one emulsifying agent emulsifies said heat activated dye solids within the liquid ink.
20. A liquid ink jet ink, comprising:
Material
Weight %
heat activated dye solids
0.05-20%
at least one dispersant and emulsifying agent
0.05-30%
solvent
0-45%
water
40-98%
Total
100%
wherein the heat activated dye solids are substantially insoluble in the water, and wherein said at least one dispersant and emulsifying agent emulsifies said heat activated dye solids within the liquid ink.
21. A liquid ink jet ink as described in claim 20 , further comprising 0 . 01 % to 15 % surfactant.
22. A liquid ink jet ink as described in claim 20 , wherein said at least one dispersant and emulsifying agent is a sulfonated lignin.
23. A liquid ink jet ink as described in claim 20 , wherein said heat activated dye is a dye which, after the liquid ink is printed, transfers by the application of heat at a temperature which is not higher than 450 ° F., for no more than three and one-half minutes, with the resulting image, as deposited on the final substrate, having an optical density of 1 . 0 or greater, as measured by an X-Rite 418 densitometer in the density operation mode with background corrections.
24. A liquid ink jet ink as described in claim 20 , wherein said heat activated dye solids are finely divided.
25. A liquid ink jet ink as described in claim 20 , wherein individual particles of said heat activated dye solids are 0 . 5 microns or less in size.
26. A liquid ink jet ink as described in claim 20 , wherein said at least one dispersant and emulsifying agent comprises at least one dispersant and at least one emulsifying agent, and wherein said at least one emulsifying agent emulsifies said heat activated dye solids within the liquid ink.